19 Weeks

We're still here, plugging away. March was a ridiculous month at work, with 30 IEP meetings scheduled in 20 days, so many evenings were spent working on reports after Noah was in bed. Thus, no blogging. I am so glad it's over, and I am fully enjoying a well-deserved Spring Break! My mom's break coincided with mine, so she is here visiting through Wednesday. It's fun to see her, since the last time we saw each other was when I first found out I was pregnant. I was a nervous mess and not much fun to be around. Now I'm excited and hopeful! Much more pleasant for all. 

The last few weeks have mostly been uneventful in this pregnancy. I had a doctor appointment at 16w4d. They did the quad screening at that time, and everything thankfully came back negative. Baby's heartbeat was measuring 152bpm. Still faster than Noah ever was past the first trimester, but only time will tell if this means anything. I have made the firm decision to keep the surprise of boy or girl for the delivery room, and Brian has accepted that even though he's not happy. With Noah, I so strongly suspected he was a boy and since I was expecting to have a shower or two, I really wanted to know so I could prepare. This time I don't feel like there's a whole lot I need to buy, and if it turns out to be a girl, I have no doubt that grandmas will do some power shopping for outfits shortly after birth. I really have no gut feeling, and I also feel like I'm in no rush to find out. This is definitely my last pregnancy, and I want to savor everything about it including the big reveal. Does that make sense? 

How Far Along: 19w0d

How Big Is Baby: This week's fruit comparison is a mango. About 8oz and 6.5" long.

Sex: I have had one boy dream and one girl dream. Anytime I talk about the baby I want to refer to her as a girl, but like I said above, I really have no gut feeling. Noah named the baby "Leafy" for now, which seems pretty gender neutral.

Symptoms: More frequent trips to the bathroom, I get full pretty fast when eating, the two little stretch marks above my belly button reappeared this week, I might be developing the faintest of linea nigras (I don't know when it showed up with Noah), random shooting pains in my lower back/butt, and my growing bump!

Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing I can think of.

Belly Button: It's basically an outie now. 

Sleep: No problems there! I am usually in bed by ten, if not earlier. I usually wake up around the time of my alarm (5:00am) to pee, and on the weekends I can often hold it til closer to 7:00.

Stretch Marks: Nothing new.

Weight Gain: When I went to the OB, I realized that my scale at home is pretty darn accurate. The other day I weighed myself and I was at 117.5, which puts me up about 8.5 total.

Maternity Clothes: I am wearing mostly all maternity. I do have a pair of cords that I love so I still use the belly band for those. This week I plan to buy some more maternity tops to get me through Spring and Summer. All of my current maternity tops are long sleeve or 3/4 length since Noah was primarily a winter pregnancy. I am so looking forward to cute summer maternity clothes!!

Movement: Movement began during the 16th week, just like with Noah. By 17 weeks I could feel it with my hand, just like with Noah. My kids are consistent! But this baby is definitely less active than Noah was by this time. I kind of wonder if maybe my placenta is in more of an anterior position this time, which I've heard can dull the sensation of early movement. This is by far my favorite part of pregnancy!!

What I Miss: Nothing!

What I’m Looking Forward To: The anatomy scan on April 7th. Even though we won't be finding out if we have a boy or girl, I can't wait to take an updated peek at the little one!

Best Moment This Week: Spring Break beginning, and my mom coming to visit!

Milestones: I think I say this every time, but every day of this pregnancy feels like a milestone. The depth of my gratitude for this miracle is never-ending.

The Bump:

19 Weeks!

                                      19 weeks Baby #2     vs     18 weeks with Noah                                  

I feel like the whole "you get bigger faster with your second pregnancy" thing just doesn't apply to me. Not that I'm complaining. :)